By Gamini Perera
The Ambassador for Russia in Sri Lanka, Mikhail G. Korpov said that "Moscow had received with satisfaction the news of the first round of peace talks held in Thailand between the representatives of the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and welcome the successful start of the negotiation process. Moscow, expresses hope for its continuation to reach on agreement to settle the many year inter ethnic armed conflict in Sri Lanka in the interests of all the ethnic groups of the country," he said in an interview with the "Sunday Island".

"Russia believes that the restoration of peace and stability is possible only under the conditions that the practice of terrorism and extremism be renounced and on the basis of ensuring the state, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka", Korpov added.

Earlier, speaking at a meeting to commemorate 200 years of the establishment of the Foreign Ministry in Russia at the Russian Centre in Colombo, the ambassador said:

"Asian dimension was always one of the most important factors in the foreign policy of our country. The first bilateral treaty in the history of Russian foreign relations was signed in 860 with an Asian country, the Visantia Empire. Being the Euro-Asian state we actively participate in political, economic and cultural interaction in Asia. Sri Lanka is one of our old and reliable partners in this region with whom Russia enjoys mutually beneficial bilateral relations."

Korpov said that "today we celebrate the important event in more than a millennium long history of the Russian foreign service, the 200th Anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia." He said that it was formed on September 20, 1802, by the order of the Russian Emperor Alexander the first. "Since then, the Russian Foreign Service has passed through glorious victories, bitter defeats and laid down the main principles and traditions, best of which are successfully accumulated by the present generation of Russian diplomats. Today, Russia has diplomatic relations with 178 countries, 140 embassies, 74 Consulates General and 12 representations in international organisations," he announced.

He noted that the official history of Russian — Sri Lankan relations commenced in 1891, when the first Russian Consulate was established in Galle.

"But, the first Russians appeared in Ceylon even in mid XIX century, when Count Saltykov, a well-known traveller and artist visited its island twice, in 1841 and in 1845/46. He had summoned his observations in a book published in Russia and in France. Anton Chekhov, a world famed Russian writer, had a stopover in Colombo in late XIX century, on his travels to remote Sakhalin Island, in North Pacific. Professor Minaov, the world known Russian expert on Buddhism, discovered Ceylon for Russian oriental studies. His books are still unique because of their widest range of historical and ethnographical data about Sri Lanka. The island was also visited, incognito, by the Russian Crown Prince Ctzearrovich during his round the world travel," the ambassador said.

"Official diplomatic ties between our countries was established in February 1957. Since then, the solid base for the mutual business interests was laid down by a number of bilateral agreements worked out and signed by our countries in spheres of trade and culture. In those years, the Soviet Union assisted Sri Lanka in the construction of the Oruwela metallurgical plant, the Kelaniya Tyre producing enterprise, milling and house constructing projects. Thousands, of Lankan students have graduated from Universities in Russia in medicine, engineering, education etc., In 1959, the Friendship Society with Sri Lanka was established in Moscow. Further expansion of mutual relations had been given by the visits to the USSR by the then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1963 and in 1974, Karpov said that both the countries enjoy the gradual growth of bilateral trade after its certain decline in the recent years. In 2001, its volume reached $ 136 million. Russia holds the stable position of being the leading importer of Sri Lankan tea (over 49,500 tonnes). Electrical equipment for the metallurgical plant in Oruwela and modern machinery for the tyre producing enterprise in Kelaniya have been supplied. The agreement was reached on the establishment of Russian - Sri Lankan joint ventures in the fisheries sector.

In August, 2001, Sri Lanka-Russian Business Council was set-up which includes more than 40 Lankan Companies and business associations. This September, the delegation of the Council’s authorities is to visit Moscow to discuss the expansion of bilateral economic ties.

According to tour operators, Sri Lanka can be one of the most popular places for Russian tourist in the near future."

The Ambassador also said that "Aeroflot - the Russian International Airlines plans to renew its flights to Colombo, starting from the end of October this year. "Significant efforts are underway to up-date the legal basis of Russian-Sri Lanka relations. A number of new agreements have already been signed or are in line for conclusion. We witness new signs in contracts between legislative bodies of our two countries when delegations of Russian parliamentarians visited Sri Lanka in 1997 and this year," he noted.

"Bilateral ties in culture and education are also expanding," the ambassador said. "This year, we signed a new Programme of cultural and educational co-operation of 2002/2003. Twenty six Lankan students were awarded Russian state scholarships during the past two years and over 200 students went to Russia to study in Russian Universities on commercial basis having increased the total number of Lankan students studying in Russia by more than 2000 at present. The Russian Cultural Centre is successfully operating in Colombo, providing Lankan children with Russian ballet and chess training, art, computer and musical education," Karpov said.

There is no doubt that Russian-Sri Lankan relations have vast potential for further development and expansion, he said. "The strengthening of friendly ties on the basis of equality, mutual respect and partnership, which is the permanent aims of both our countries, not only serve the core interests and mutual goals of our peoples, but also fulfil the significant task of ensuring peace, stability and security in the whole world," he added.

Messrs Susil Premjayanth, President, Sri Lanka-Russia Friendship Society, Raja Collure, MP, Dr. Nissanka Wijeratne, former Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Russia, Ven. Dr. Pallekanda Ratnasara Thero, Minister W. J. M. Lokubandara, Dr. Hector Weerasinghe, Director, National Hospital, Capt. Patrick Jayasinghe, (who read Foreign Minister, Tyronne Fernando’s message), and Ms. Dilanthie Withanage, Gen. Secretary, SLR Friendship Society also participated at the commemorative celebrations.